Shinra's Deception
by Shadow Risae1
Summary: Vincent Valentine's experiences in Shinra, starting from the day he joined the Turks up until the beginning of FF7.
1. Joining the Turks

Shinra's Deception

By: Shadow Risae

Amara_Tenoh@hotmail.com

Author's Comments - I know this has been done before, but Vincent is my favorite Final Fantasy VII character. This is my take on what happened to him during his time with Shinra. Possible FFVII spoilers within.

- Intro

The true evils of Shinra Corporation lies far deeper than polluting the environment, as the notorious group called AVALANCHE eventually finds out. They use every resource available to them to accomplish their missions. This includes using their own employees like puppets. It doesn't matter if he or she is high ranking or not... 

My name is Vincent Valentine. I used to be in the Turks. The Turks are Shinra's elite force that are compromised of some of the strongest and smartest out there. The mission of the Turks is to protect various government officials. At least, that's what Shinra makes the public believe. The actual Turk mission is basically the mission of a mercenary. The Turks do whatever Shinra orders them to do. Murder, kidnapping... you name it, they do it. 

What the Turks do is not the only reason why Shinra is a demon in disguise. Shinra also has some other evil tricks up its sleeve that the public doesn't know about. So, I decided to tell what I know to warn everyone. Shinra may hunt me down once I try to get this published, but what else can they do to me? Oh yes. They can kill me. I'm not afraid. There's much worse things than death that I've already experienced...

Vincent Valentine

- Part 1: Joining the Turks

I remember as a child seeing the recruitment commercials on television for Shinra's army. It had fascinated me. The commercial told of being able to see the world, meeting new people, earning a great salary, and free housing. It said that you were respected and treated the same as everyone else. I constantly wondered what that last part would be like. I was always one of the smartest kids in my class. I was quiet, shy, and constantly bullied around. I had absolutely no friends. Maybe the army would let me have those friends I wanted so badly. I decided I should join the army when I was old enough.

When I turned 15, my mind changed slightly. My father, a local law enforcement officer in the ghetto of Midgar's Sector 6 (where we lived), showed me how to use his gun. I instantly fell in love with the weapon. It was so small and light in my hands, but could kill with one shot. It's power was incredible. I then decided I'd be like my father. 

A few months later, my mind changed once again. My father was to escort some Shinra army soldiers to Sector 6's reactor. There were reports of thugs attacking anyone who went near the Mako reactor and, since Sector 6 was my father's jurisdiction, he decided to offer to be the escort so he could try to arrest the thugs causing so much trouble. 

Well, to make a long story short, my father found the thugs. Too late, however. They tried to attack the group. They shot my father a few times before a Shinra army officer gave the order to kill the thugs. The thugs were killed, but so was my father. 

That ruined my family. My mother went insane and was placed in Midgar's psychiatric facilities. My little sister, who was too young to survive without the care of an adult, was put up for adoption. I, on the other hand, bribed a teacher to allow me to live in her basement so I could finish high school.

The day after high school graduation, I spent all of the money I had to buy a gun, a suit, and a chocobo rental. I then packed my things and made my way to the Shinra Mansion in the town of Nibelheim. It was where the former Shinra HQ and some offices still resided. One was the office of the infamous Turks. The Turks sounded perfect for me. They were portrayed as similar to the army except that they protected government officials, including law enforcement. I thought I could let my father rest in peace by protecting his colleagues. I didn't know how wrong my idea of the Turks was...

Two weeks later...

"Vincent Valentine." Tseng, leader of the Turks, looked at my application. My interview had gone quite well the week before and Tseng asked me to come back to his office. 

"Yes sir. Do I meet the requirements of joining the Turks?" I asked.

He looked up at me, his oddly warm dark eyes meeting mine. "Well, let's see. You graduated high school with a 4.2 GPA. You can use a gun. Your family has a bit of a government background.... The only thing is your age. We've never had a Turk younger than 25 before, Mr. Valentine. You are only 17."

"I believe I can handle it sir. I am willing to do whatever it takes to get into your organization. It means a lot to me to do so." I felt my hands shaking and clenched them in tight fists. I didn't want him to see me as nervous and weak.

"Very well." He pulled a gun from his side, handing it to me. "This is a Shinra issue gun called a Quicksilver. It operates the same as your average 35mm gun. Now, demonstrate your ability to me." He motioned for me to follow him. 

We walked outside and around the back of the Shinra mansion. A path led up the mountain. 

"Where are we going, sir?" I asked.

"Not far. There's something up the path that's been bothering me for quite some time that can be the perfect target for you." 

Along the path, there was a tree. Tseng stopped in front of the tree. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, taking a long puff. I thought he was just going to stop for a smoke break, but he glanced up at something in the tree.

"See that up there?"

I looked up in the tree. The only thing in the tree that wasn't part of the tree was a bird's nest. In it sat a mother bird feeding her babies. "All I see is a bird's nest."

"Exactly. Your target is the mother. That damned bird likes shiny things. It pilfered President Shinra's gold watch the other day and he made me climb up the tree to get it. I would've killed the mother myself, but she wasn't there at the time. So you can have the honors." He took another long puff.

"But… sir, that's just wrong. Her young will die…"

"Mr. Valentine, in this world only the strong survive." He walked up to me, taking a puff off of his cigarette and blew the smoke in my face. "Are you strong or are you weak, destined to die like your father?"

I gritted my teeth. I no longer felt nervous. How could he say something like that about my father? My father was a great man. He worked hard to protect everyone in Sector 6. He wasn't like President Shinra who sat around feeding his face and shouting orders all day. "My father was strong. Far stronger than a lot of the military you deal with on a daily basis."

"Well, how about you?"

I clicked off the safety and, not even looking, fired a single shot. I heard a strangled sounding tweet and feathers fell around us. I glared at Tseng. "You tell me."

Tseng smiled. "Not only a show off, but you have the attitude of a bad ass. Alright, you're in. Your badge will be given to you tomorrow when you report for work." He then started to walk back down the path.

"Do you want your gun back?" I called.

"No, keep it. If that's a sign of how you really are deep down, that mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day. You'll need it."

I thought he was just being a bastard. But his prediction would come true…


	2. The Escort

Shinra's Deception

By: Shadow Risae

Amara_Tenoh@hotmail.com

- Part 2: The Escort

The next day when I arrived to work, I was greeted by Tseng. He smiled. I didn't like the smile. The look read clearly "I want you to do something for me that I was asked to do but don't want to".

"Mr. Valentine, I have the perfect job for you today."

Oh joy. I was hardly thrilled. But I forced a smile anyway, just to please the man. "Really? What kind of job?"

"There's an intern for the science department that was working a field assignment." Tseng got up from his desk and handed me a folder. "She needs an escort back to headquarters. I believe you're the right man for the job."

"Let me guess… because I'm the lowest ranking of the Turks?" I asked.

Tseng looked amused. "If you want to see it that way, I suppose so."

I opened the folder. The intern's name was Lucrecia Casey. I flipped through the papers, seeing a picture in the very back. She looked about my age with long, flowing brown hair, matching eyes that sparkled behind her thin glasses, and a gorgeous smile. "She's the one I escort?!" I asked, looking up at Tseng.

"Yes. Why?"

"No reason." I glanced down at the picture again. She was absolutely incredible. She could easily be a model. If she just maybe put on a dress and ditched the glasses… No Vincent. This is your job. You can't think that. Plus you're a loser anyway. Hot chicks don't like losers and I sure don't blame them.

Tseng then look the folder and smacked me in the head with it, knocking me back to reality. "Quit daydreaming and go pick her up. She's staying in the inn down the street. There's two tickets for chocobo rentals in the folder provided for you. The mission is expected to be accomplished in 3 days. If you need more time, have a messenger send the headquarters word."

"Understood."

"Oh…" He pulled two small green orbs from his pocket. "Here's some materia just in case you need it."

"Thank you sir." I took the materia and then saluted him, walking outside. I froze, almost slamming into someone. "I apologize."

"No, it's okay. I was just studying the flowers."

"Flowers?" I stared at her. It was her. Lucrecia… the girl I was supposed to escort. She was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a black t-shirt. She looked so plain and casual but still… Her beauty was not hidden one bit. I looked her up and down as she stared at me like I was an idiot. 

"The flowers you're standing on."

"Oh. Sorry…" I stepped back onto the stone path leading to the Shinra mansion. Then I followed her gaze to the ground. A few flowers were growing along the path, but now about half were flattened since I hadn't seen them.

"You should be careful. Flowers are living things too." 

"Sorry," I apologized again. "Umm… are you Lucrecia?"

She nodded, her glasses simultaneously slipping down her nose. She pushed them up with one finger. Oh, that was so cute. "Yes, I'm Lucrecia Casey, a science intern. You are?" She held out her hand. 

"I… I…" I couldn't remember. All I could think about was her. My mind was swimming. Oh come on, you know your name. Tell her! Don't look like even more of a loser!

She then grabbed my badge, looking at it. "Vincent Valentine, Turks. You must be the low ranking new recruit that was sent to baby-sit me."

"Uh… I…" I didn't know what to say.

She rolled her eyes. "All guys are the same. They see a pretty face and get even stupider than they already are. Well, I'm ready to set out whenever you are."

I wasn't sure what to think about her comment so shrugged it off. "Umm… okay. Let's go to the chocobo rentals then."

"Lead the way."

Lucrecia didn't say a word on the way to pick up the chocobo rentals or the first hour or so of traveling. I was glad for that. It gave me a chance to think a bit. I wondered what she thought about me. Duh, Vincent. You know what she thinks. All you've done is stupidly stare and babble at her. But maybe that's for the best. She's my assignment. That's all. You don't even know her.

"So Vincent… or would you prefer Vince?" Lucrecia's voice jarred me back.

I glanced over at her. "I guess it really doesn't matter. No one's ever called me Vince though."

"I'll call you that then." Lucrecia tightened her grip on the chocobo's reins, then glanced back over at me. "Why'd you join the Turks?"

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "Well, I became an intern hoping I can one day become a scientist. I love nature and I hope that being a scientist helps me preserve all of the world's wonderful creatures. You have a reason for joining the Turks, don't you?"

Two reasons, I thought. To try to become less of an outcast freak and to help my father rest in peace knowing that his son is trying to do something right like he did. But both led to sad, sappy stories. I wasn't sure what to tell her. I then finally said, "I want to do something good for the world. Maybe this is my way. Maybe not. But I never know until I try."

She laughed. I frowned. "What's so funny about that?"

"I don't know. I just didn't think the type of guy like you would say that."

"The type of guy like me? What's that supposed to mean?"

She smiled, but didn't answer.

Suddenly the chocobos stopped dead in their tracks. I hadn't been holding on and went flying off, landing hard face first on the ground. I pulled myself up, spitting dirt from my mouth.

"Vince… we have trouble," Lucrecia whispered.

Slowly, I pulled my gun from my side. I heard a raspy breathing behind me. I clicked off the gun's safety and turned. A huge, red, balloon shaped thing floated in front of me. It's eyes stared at me, slowly narrowing. 

"That's a bomb," Lucrecia said

"You think I don't know that?!" I spat, frustrated.

"We invaded it's territory. That's why it's angry," she explained.

The bomb's expression seemed to turn even angrier every second. Then it began to close it's eyes and grow.

"Oh shit," I whispered. I glanced at Lucrecia. "Run."

"But…"

"I said run! Do you want to get yourself killed?!"

She gave the chocobo a light kick with her heels and it ran. The other chocobo followed. I then looked at the bomb. It was still growing. I cocked the gun and fired. It didn't seem to affect it. I kept firing shot after shot until finally…

Click… click… click. My clip ran out. I stuck my hand in my pocket, trying to pull out another. But the bomb wasn't growing anymore. It's body began to violently shake. It was going to blow up. I started to back up, then turned and ran. 

That's when the bomb decided to blow. The shock waves of the explosion pushed my body up in the air. I flew forward a good ten feet until I hit the ground hard, again face first. I didn't move. My body hurt all over. My mouth was full of dirt and blood. My own blood.

A minute later, I heard the sound of running chocobos. 

"Vince, are you okay? You are so stupid, you know that? You could've died." 

"But I didn't. Besides, what's it matter? My role is to play the role of the mindless protector, remember?" I sat up. I could feel the blood from my nose dripping down my face. I gently felt my nose. Broken. 

Lucrecia stood there for a minute, looking like she wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or roll her eyes. Finally she said, "Let's get you bandaged up."

As Lucrecia and I walked over to a grassy area to sit down, I looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set and the stars were slowly appearing in the sky. I had a feeling the worst was yet to come and my gun had failed to even make a dent in the bomb. Father, what am I doing wrong? 


	3. The Masamune

Shinra's Deception

By: Shadow Risae

Amara_Tenoh@hotmail.com

Part 3: The Masamune

When we arrived at Shinra Headquarters, Lucrecia thanked me and bid me farewell. One job successfully finished. Now maybe Tseng would think higher of me, especially since I completed the job faster than he expected.

Since I had nothing better to do for the rest of the day, I decided to go up to the gym housed within the building. It was completely empty except for a guy I guessed to be about my age. He was wearing a dark blue t-shirt and black pants. He was doing pushups one handed. I pulled off my jacket and tossed it on a bench. I then noticed something shiny on the floor underneath the bench. I knelt down. It was a long sword that was probably about 4 or 5 feet long. I reached forward to touch it…

"Lay a finger on my masamune and I'll allow you the privilege to die by it."

I turned my head. The man doing pushups were still doing them. He didn't even look at me. No one else was still in the room. "This is yours?"

"That's what I just said." He looked up at me, his ice blue eyes having a strange green glow to them. "Are you stupid or just hard of hearing?"

"I'm stupid. It all started when my parents made the mistake of having me," I said bitterly more than anything else.

He laughed. "That's amusing."

"What is?"

"Turks are usually quite full of themselves, but you are beating yourself down."

I shrugged. "Well, I can't help it really. I've always been the outcast that everyone looks down upon."

He stopped his push ups and stood up, pulling his long, gray hair out of it's ponytail. His hair was about ½ way down his back. "I can relate, I suppose. But I can guarantee I've had it worse than you."

"Try me."

"I despise telling stories, especially horror stories." He pulled off his sweat soaked shirt and walked over to a locker, punching it. He succeeded in bending the door in, but it did open. He pulled out a black cloak from inside and pulled it on, tossing the blue shirt in the locker. Then he walked over to the bench and picked up his masamune.

"Are you in SOLDIER?" I asked, noticing the slight glow his eyes had to them.

"No, not yet. I'm one of the army recruits. I can't stand it. The commanders will not allow me to use my masamune or wear my cloak, not to mention they force me to tie my hair back…" He then frowned. "Why am I even telling you? I don't even know who you are."

"Vincent Valentine of the Turks."

He grinned. He looked like some strange Goth freak as it was, but now he looked just plain evil. "I see."

"What's so amusing about that?"

"Nothing…" He obviously knew something I didn't. I hated that. "Well, I must be off. I only have a few hours to myself before I'm back to duty." He turned and started to walk away.

"Wait… you didn't tell me your name!" I called.

"Sephiroth," he said simply, without turning or stopping.

"Sephiroth what?"

"My name is Sephiroth. Nothing else." He then was out of the room.

I didn't know until much, much later who or what Sephiroth was. I wish I had. Then perhaps I would've known what he'd known that day that I didn't. Then I wouldn't of been in this situation in the first place… Perhaps I should continue my story before I give it away. 


End file.
